Google, the iPhone, and Web Video

The desktop computer is going the way of the white elephant.

Although certain tasks and operations will require dedicated hardware and software (like video editing, music creation, for example, or science and medical research applications), the fact is that the smartphone is giving the desktop computers and even laptops a big push to the technology landfill. People want their online life to go with them, and nothing says 'tethered' like heavy, clunky hardware. Instead of sitting at a desk, people want to watch Youtube on the bus, browse websites on their couch, and read reviews about great places to eat while walking on the street.

What does that have to do with web video production and Google?

Using Google's toolbox to track what sort of browsers people are using to visit your website (e.g. Firefox, Internet Explorer, iOS, Blackberry Brower, etc.), you'll have a good idea as to how many people are looking at your (or your company's) website from a mobile phone.

Why does that matter? If the numbers are relatively high (and some industries, like restaurants, movie theatres, and tourism-based businesses are), you should make sure that your website is mobile browser-friendly. Apple's (Safari) and Blackberry's browser handle Flash, Java, HTML, and i-frames differently, and they may not display properly or might even be impossible to navigate.

Similarly, not all web video standards are readable by all mobile browsers. Apple's mobile Safari, for instance, doesn't handle rival Adobe's Flash Video (without hacking iOS). Some sites like Youtube compensate for this by detecting a visitor's browser, and then loading a Mobile version, or m-site, that will enable proper display and playback. This is why Youtube remains a great resource for video sharing: its browser friendly across the board.

However, if Youtube hosting isn't your thing, there's one new development that has helped web developers significantly: the new JW Flash Player, which can not only detect browsers, but will also play an MP4 video (which will play on both the iPhone and Blackberries) through its Flash player. The only trick is to encode your videos with parameters that will keep quality high but not take forever to download over a mobile network.

The day when iMacs and Macbooks are replaced by iPhones and iPads is fast approaching, and businesses would do well to consider optimizing their site and their videos for the future!